Table saws are often used in the construction industry. In particular, at a construction jobsite where workers cut and shape a large number of wood products portable table saws are used. For example, framers use portable table saws for rough-cutting lumber, while finishing carpenters use portable power saws capable of making rip and miter cuts for producing precise finishing cuts of trim pieces.
In the construction industry it is commonplace for the workers to transport their table saw and other tools from one construction site to another. In doing so, the table saw may be placed in a transport vehicle, e.g., bed of a pickup truck, along side of other tools. The table saw has to be compact to take a small space and be easy to store. Often the table saw is roughly handled by the worker during placement of the table saw into the transport vehicle.
In addition, during transport the table saw may be knocked around and collide with the other tools. For example, during transport of the table saw from one location to another, the table saw may slide around in the bed of a pickup truck and collide with the bed walls and/or tailgate of the truck. Such collisions may be detrimental to certain components of the table saw. In particular, the table saw may have controls, actuators, and other components that extend from the front side and back side of the table saw which may be damaged during such collisions. One such actuator is an actuator for adjusting position of a saw blade of a saw assembly of the table saw. This actuator is configured to adjust the height and bevel angle of the saw blade that is extending through an opening in the top surface of the table saw. Because this actuator typically projects outwardly from the front side of the table saw, it is particularly prone to being damaged due to the table saw sliding within a bed of a pickup truck and colliding with the bed walls and the tailgate. Therefore, one desirable feature of a table saw is durability during loading and transport of the table saw from one job site to another including protecting such table saw controls, actuators, and other similarly situated components.
Once at the jobsite, the workers grasp the table saw by a handle and transfer it from the transport vehicle to the jobsite. The table saw may be bulky and heavy. The table saw may have concentrations of mass, e.g., due to a heavy motor, at various positions within the table saw. These concentrations of mass may cause the table saw to be awkward to carry during transfer. Therefore, transfer of the table saw from the transport vehicle to the jobsite may be difficult and requires two hands. Thus, another desirable feature for a table saw is ease of transfer from the transport vehicle to the jobsite.
The table saw may have several accessories that can be attached to it. For example, a blade guard is typically included with a table saw. An anti-kick back device and a push stick are other commonplace accessories that are included with a table saw. Yet another accessory that is typically included with a table saw is a rip fence that is coupled to rails of the power saw.
A typical issue for the workers with respect to these accessories is keeping the accessories in a place where they are easily retrievable. However, often times, these accessories are left at job sites and thereby lost. Therefore, another desirable feature of the table saw is to provide convenient stowage capabilities for the accessories and protect them from damage.